Chapter 6 Campbell’s Soup Speaks to the ’50s Housewife

Campbell’s 1948 magazine campaign clearly has one audience in mind: wives and mothers, or female homemakers.

The advertisement shows a typical holiday scene, with mother and children carrying bundles of wrapped presents while father is almost unnoticeable in the background.

In 1948, it was the woman of a household who would invariably do much of the cooking, childcare and indeed Christmas shopping.

This advertisement draws on the pressures and time-constraints placed on the mother (and all such women) as she prepares for the holiday season. It offers her a solution to find more time during the Christmas-rushed days.

Although the advertisement provides pictures and descriptions of several available soups, it focuses on value over product placement. The primary aim is to show women how Campbell’s Soup can save them time, offering a product which is not only tasty but, more importantly, fast and easy to prepare.

Holiday Marketing Takeaway

Don’t just show your customers your product; tell them how it will benefit their lives over the holidays.